1John 1:9

 Confession and Cleansing

1 John 1:9 Amplified

If we confess our sins—not hiding, not excusing,

Not dressing them in softer names or subtly refusing

To own the weight of what we've done, the damage we have caused,

The silent ways we've wandered, the lines we've overstepped and crossed—

He is faithful and just—His character, His bond,

His covenant of mercy on which we can respond.

Faithful to the promise He spoke upon the tree,

Just to apply the blood that forever sets us free.

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9)

He will forgive us our sins—not some, but every one.

The secret and the seen, the hidden and the done.

The sins we've long forgotten, the guilt that still remains,

The patterns we've repeated, the unconfessed stains.

And cleanse us from all unrighteousness—not just the outer layer,

But deep within the spirit, a thorough, inward prayer.

He purges the contamination, He washes the hidden part,

He heals the source of sickness and creates a new heart.

This is the promise: that when we come with open hands,

When we stop our running, when we finally stand

In the light of His presence, with nothing left to hide,

We find not condemnation, but a welcome open wide.

So I confess. I bring my sin into Your healing light.

I trust Your faithful promise to make my wrong things right.

Forgive me, cleanse me, make me whole—

Restore the gladness of my soul.

For You are faithful. You are just.

In Your forgiveness, I place my trust.

Amen.

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Reflections on This Promise

This verse is one of the most reassuring promises in all of Scripture. It rests not on our feelings, but on God's unchanging character:

· Faithful: God keeps His word. He has promised to forgive those who come to Him through Christ, and He cannot break His promise.

· Just: Because Jesus paid the full penalty for sin on the cross, God is perfectly just—completely fair and right—when He forgives us. The debt has been paid in full.

· Forgiveness: This is not merely overlooking sin, but a complete pardon. The guilt is removed, the relationship is restored.

· Cleansing: Beyond forgiveness, God purifies us from the defilement of sin, washing us clean so we can walk in newness of life.

This is the secure foundation for every honest prayer of repentance.